The weather resources on the Internet are many and varied. They range from highly sophisticated dedicated sites to national newsfeeds that produce fairly comprehensive weather reports, to regional news organizations that feature weather as part of their online news service. These can be from TV and radio stations or local newspapers. In addition, the major search engines have a weather feature that allows you to consult for forecasts in your local area.

In all cases, however, their weather information is gathered principally from national sources – in almost all cases, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. We’re going to review here the principal dedicated weather sites online, and give a quick critique to what the search engines and national news sites provide.

Perhaps the best known dedicated commercial weather site is www.weather.com, a spin-off of the cable television network The Weather Channel. This website allows you to punch in your zip code for local weather, or a city/town name for some other location. The site will give you temperature readings, wind chill and precipitation forecasts. It will provide forecasts on an hour-by-hour basis, for the weekend, and will peer into the future with a ten-day forecast on one page. Graphics include satellite photos and Doppler radar representations of storm movements.

Much of this information is gathered from the NOAA’s National Weather Service website. Here you will find “official” U.S. weather, marine, fire and aviation forecasts, warnings, climate forecasts and information about meteorology at www.nws.noaa.gov/. The NOAA has a massive network of weather stations nationwide, providing readouts for highly localized areas. It’s also user friendly, with a wealth of visual information provided by satellites and other graphics tools. There is a vast amount of marine weather data available here as well.

The Weather Underground (www.wunderground.com) is a spin-off of the University of Michigan’s weather website. Weather Underground is a commercial site peppered with advertising that presents its forecasts based on zip code, city, or on a clickable U.S. map. It also has international forecasts – click by country – and a comprehensive list of maps on its home page that show national trends for such factors as temperature, wind, visibility, precipitation, snow depth, etc. Register with them and send ten dollars and they’ll email you your daily forecast.

The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor’s weather lab: http://cirrus.sprl.umich.edu/wxnet/ is among the pioneers of online weather products. Currently, they maintain a quality national weather forecast site – but perhaps their most valuable resource for weather addicts is their list of 300 links to weather related sites.

Intellicast (www.intellicast.com) is an advertiser supported national site that will also email you your daily forecast. Their site offers a clickable map and the usual categories of satellite and long range forecasts. Www.weather.org is another of the lesser national websites that is exclusively for weather. Their site has an interesting map of worldwide conditions that is constantly changing as the center of their homepage. Along with the usual localized and national weather feeds, the site offers weathercams, tides and currents, and commentary from the Farmers Almanac.

Other dedicated locations include www.AccuWeather.com and www.Weatherbug.com. Weatherbug offers downloadable software that provides your local weather forecast and weather report. Yahoo and Google both provide weather forecast features, as do the national news feeds. CNN.com/WEATHER will provide international weather news and five day forecasts by location. USA Today has global forecasts and information on meteorological topics such as global warming at: http://asp.usatoday.com/weather/weatherfront.aspx.

Finally, Unisys has chosen to showcase its Weather Processor analysis software package by building a website for global weather information at http://weather.unisys.com/. Not something you’d expect just looking at their main homepage. Apparently even people who do tech consulting and enterprise servers need to know if it’s going to rain.

About the Author: Madison Lockwood is a customer relations associate, specializing in small business development, for Apollo Hosting. Apollo Hosting provides

One of the biggest and most frequently asked question online in the Internet Marketing industry is “How do I get started”.

Most people, acquire a cheap “Make money online” E-book and then they read half way through it and think “well this helped me none.. I just don’t understand”.

I know some people will disagree, but breaking into Internet Marketing and being successful takes determination and is very hard to do.

FIRST OFF: I see too many people trying to just make money. They’re only in it for the money and only want to make some sales.

This is a big problem. Why?

No one comes online looking to randomly buy things. Everyone is looking for an answer to a problem they’re having or looking for a solution to something. Remember.. your job is not to make a sale but to solve someone’s problem and in turn.. that is what will make you a sale.

So what do you need to make money online?

#1: You need a clue.

Anyone can search google for answers to making money online, but you’ve got to have an understanding of what you’re doing or you’ll always be running around searching for answers.

#2: You need a plan.

Brainstorm! You need to have a mapped out vision in your head of your business. Do you plan on purchasing a domain and starting a product on dog health care, buying domains and selling them, selling home made materials on e-bay, writing articles, etc. There are so many options out there for what you want to do, but you’ve got to have an idea and a plan before you can start making money. Brainstorm in your head and think to yourself..

“What am I good at?”

“What am I knowledgeable about?”

“What is something I really enjoy doing/talking about?”

“How do I plan on providing information on this product?”

#3: You need a website.

Unless you plan on marketing to forums and groups (which isn’t a very well played out business plan) you need to establish a website. Before you start thinking “I have no money for a website”. You can always start a blogger. www.blogger.com

If you’re looking at starting a website, I would highly recommend Host Gator to beginners and novice marketers. The options of managing/running your website are great and at such a low cost, it’s hard for me to refuse Host Gator when ever I plan on getting a website.

Hosting at Host Gator starts out at $4.95 so this is great for a beginner’s website or just starting out.

Now comes the part I had trouble with when I began. Website Design/Website creation. I am not a HTML savvy guy.. believe me. While I am sure there are many sources you could hire for you to create your website, I believe everyone should learn to create their own material at one point or another.

You need a website with an easy design/layout because anything hard to read or something that doesn’t look professional will have a much lower conversion rate than what you hope for.

Remember, when you’re writing your sales copy/creating your product… you’re speaking out to people that have a problem and are in need of a solution.

Make Money E-Book – People are broke.. who wants to be broke? (read more about this at http://makingmoneyway.com }

Train Your Dog E-Book – A loud and undisciplined dog is a danger to you and everyone around you.

A Guide To Smart Car Buying – Learn to save gas and to save earth

Do you see what I am saying? You have to speak to people in the certain niche you’re trying to sell in, because you’re trying to fix a problem someone has or answer a question that someone has.

In my opinion, fear and hype are two of the biggest sellers there are.

Trying to sell a vehicle? Examine your audience.. a young man will be interested in something fast and loud and will want to impress the ladies in his hot new ride. You have to know who you’re selling too and get them hyped, because a hungry crowd always comes back for more.

Don’t get me wrong now.. I am not saying a website is the only way you will ever make money period, I am just saying that this is probably the best way to create an automated source of income.

#4: Patience/Consistence.

If making money online was as easy as snapping your fingers.. everyone would be e-millionaires.

So many people quit trying once they find out how much work is actually involved in creating an online business and being good at what you do. You have got to keep consistent.

You’ve got a killer website but no sales, why not?

Get inside your market’s head and view your website not from your point of view but theirs. Do not think “how will this make me money” but “will this solve my problem”?

Be consistent and always add new fresh content and possibly new products to keep your customers/readers coming back for more. A hungry crowd can never get enough no matter how much they spend.

Now then, here are some suggestions as to when you do get a business up and running, but are not mandatory.

E-MAIL LISTS!

If someone opts in to your e-mail list.. chances are.. they’re interested in what you’ve got or curious. A lot of websites don’t offer a chance to opt in to an e-mail list and a lot of money is to be made off this. A lot of people who see a website once won’t purchase something because they simply don’t know the source. A couple of e-mails possibly sending out some free methods/tactics or newsletters might change Curious George into a buyer.

Remember.. Internet Marketing is not an overnight task.

You can either sell your own or someone else’s product.

If you’re new to the game.. I don’t recommend purchasing any products, because I guarantee you that 75% of the information you just paid for can be found on a forum for free.

The more consistent you are, the more determined you are, the more it will show. Don’t give up just because you don’t hit the lottery over night because like I said.. if making money online was truly “That easy”, everyone would be doing it.

Applying the principles of prospecting requires conversation. Naturally, for the conversation to occur, someone has to speak first. Since youre the one with something to share, you go first. Maybe youre thinking, Thats easier said than done! Simply break down the process into these steps: make a positive first impression, classify the target, make eye contact, and have an opening line or two ready to use.

Step 1 Make a Positive First Impression

For a few reps, starting conversation with strangers will be easy, maybe even fun. For many, though, it will be uncomfortable. Realize that while most people are not comfortable initiating conversation, they do enjoy participating in it. In other words, prospects will be glad to talk to you if you speak first. Try it!

But before you initiate contact, it helps to be prepared so that you will make a positive first impression. Your demeanor will set the tone of the encounter. Here are a few points to keep in mind so the first impression you make is the best possible one. Remember, actions even unintentional ones can speak louder than words.

– Be constantly aware of your facial expressions, or the attitude you are wearing on your face. Look upbeat without overdoing it.

– Pay attention to the way you carry yourself and walk with purpose.

– Speak clearly and with confidence. Absolutely no mumbling or fast-talking allowed.

Remember, if you come across as nervous by talking too fast or slumping over instead standing up straight, it may cause the prospect to keep his guard up. Nervousness will subside with practice, so give yourself time to grow with the process.

Step 2 Classify the Target

As you prospect strangers, you will encounter two types of prospects: stationary targets and moving targets. Proper prospecting is always a win-win proposition. A stationary target is a prospect that you know you can have access to on a regular basis, probably because of his location or job. For example, the person running a dry cleaner that you frequent is a stationary target. A moving target is a prospect that you meet in passing or may cross paths with only once. A person on the opposite side of a gas pump you are using is a moving target.

Step 3 Make Eye Contact

In some scenarios, especially with moving targets, the moment of eye contact is the best time to initiate a conversation. It isnt imperative that you wait for eye contact, but when eye contact does occur, it is the most natural time to start. If you look at each other and no one speaks, you might find it awkward to strike up a conversation later.

Step 4 Opening Lines

An opening line is a question or statement designed to initiate conversation. The purpose of an opening line is merely to get a conversation started. Because of the need to engage quickly, effective opening lines are essential with moving targets. Below are a few examples of opening lines and responses in action.

– Scenario 1: Youre in a casual restaurant and at the table next to you, a person is reading the newspaper. You start by asking, Is there any good news in there? Think of this interest as a test probe, because you will have a good idea by his answer whether or not the prospect is interested in further conversation.

– Scenario 2: At a coffee shop mid-morning on a weekday, you run into a well-groomed, but casually dressed, man. He may be reading The Wall Street Journal, but isnt engaged in work at that time. Perhaps hes an executive enjoying a day off. You begin with, I need your job! He might reply with something like, Whys that? Then you follow with, Are you kidding? Relaxed and casual on a weekday. Whats your secret? That will likely get a conversation going.

Occasionally, the prospect will beat you to the punch and speak to you before you speak to him. These people are literally asking to be prospected, so dont disappoint them. Be sure to have some responses ready to a general conversation starter such as, Hows it goin? Here are a few favorites that keep the ball rolling: If I was any better, Id have to charge admission just to say hello! Or maybe try, If I was any better, you wouldnt be able to stand it! The question is how are you doing?

The key is to get the prospect to engage in conversation. Making a positive first impression, classifying the target, making eye contact, and having a few opening lines ready are the tools to help you accomplish your prospecting mission. Be patient with yourself and remember youre just getting started.

About the Author: Known as the Guru of the Six-Foot Rule, Russ McNeil has honed the skill of prospecting to a razor edge. To learn more about achieve prospecting success, order Russs book, Principles of Prospecting Magic, today at

Social networking engagement has a tendency to be the benchmark numerous advertisers and organizations use to measure their success. In general, it is a truly general class that can incorporate an assortment of measurements and factors. With so much web-based social networking consideration concentrated on Facebook, we needed to talk about the most noticeable measurement connected with the stage.

The like

A simple feature presented some time after Facebook started picking up fame, the measure of preferences a page has rapidly turned into a measure of fame. It works so well as I would like to think in view of the effortlessness it gives.

All you need is for somebody to snap that little catch and your numbers progress. It holds an enormous measure of weight for of all shapes and sizes organizations alike. You cant do to discover an advertiser who said they didn’t need more likes on their page.

Tips to get more likes free

Leverage Existing Networks

It bodes well to commit your initial efforts to getting more Free Facebook Likes to individuals you as of now cooperate with. Ask your relatives, companions, associates, workers, and online contacts on Facebook and other organizations to like your Facebook page.

It is wiser to amaze like crusade organizing the general population nearest to you or are as of now acquainted with your Facebook fan page and the business, prospective, item or brand you’re advancing. You can then continue more remote far from your group of friends until you’re happy with the preferences you’re getting.

Connect to Your Offline Activities

This is an often ignored technique for getting Free Facebook Likes, however associating your disconnected exercises and showcasing endeavors to your Facebook like battle can be an exceptionally viable procedure. Truth be told, it’s a ton better to ask this act of goodwill some help face to face than say, sending a demand or email. Talk about your Facebook fan page and its advantages to the general followers you meet at whatever point conceivable. Incorporate your vanity URL on your showcasing and special materials.

Run a Facebook Ad

This one will cost you some money; however in the event that you’re not kidding about your Facebook like page battle and you actualize the advertisement astutely, you’re certain to see nice looking returns. The thought here is to utilize Face books in-house promoting stage to contact your objective demographics and markets who won’t not discover you generally.

How to Get Facebook Likes

Social networking engagement has a tendency to be the benchmark numerous advertisers and organizations use to measure their success. In general, it is a truly general class that can incorporate an assortment of measurements and factors. With so much web-based social networking consideration concentrated on Facebook, we needed to talk about the most noticeable measurement connected with the stage.

The like

A simple feature presented some time after Facebook started picking up fame, the measure of preferences a page has rapidly turned into a measure of fame. It works so well as I would like to think in view of the effortlessness it gives.

All you need is for somebody to snap that little catch and your numbers progress. It holds an enormous measure of weight for of all shapes and sizes organizations alike. You cant do to discover an advertiser who said they didn’t need more likes on their page.

Tips to get more likes free

Leverage Existing Networks

It bodes well to commit your initial efforts to getting more Free Facebook Likes to individuals you as of now cooperate with. Ask your relatives, companions, associates, workers, and online contacts on Facebook and other organizations to like your Facebook page.

It is wiser to amaze like crusade organizing the general population nearest to you or are as of now acquainted with your Facebook fan page and the business, prospective, item or brand you’re advancing. You can then continue more remote far from your group of friends until you’re happy with the preferences you’re getting.

Connect to Your Offline Activities

This is an often ignored technique for getting Free Facebook Likes, however associating your disconnected exercises and showcasing endeavors to your Facebook like battle can be an exceptionally viable procedure. Truth be told, it’s a ton better to ask this act of goodwill some help face to face than say, sending a demand or email. Talk about your Facebook fan page and its advantages to the general followers you meet at whatever point conceivable. Incorporate your vanity URL on your showcasing and special materials.

Run a Facebook Ad

This one will cost you some money; however in the event that you’re not kidding about your Facebook like page battle and you actualize the advertisement astutely, you’re certain to see nice looking returns. The thought here is to utilize Face books in-house promoting stage to contact your objective demographics and markets who won’t not discover you generally.

About the Author: Jaz Kundan is a professional content writer of a

LikesPlanet.com

. She has been working for many projects as well content management system.